Recording apparatus



June 17, 1 V E. A. BOYAN ETAL 2,339,256

RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1955 2 $heets-Sheet l Fig. I

INVENTORS EDWIN ARTHUR BOYAN BY FREDERICK C. GEILER M 4 Wm ATTOR N EYSJune 17, 1958 E. A. BOYAN ET AL 2,839,256

RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EDWINARTHUR BOYAN FREDERICK c. GEILER ATTORNEYS RECGRDING APPARATUS EdwinArthur Boyan, Dayton, and Frederick C. Geiler,

Oakwood, (lhio, assignors to Industrial Analyzer Corporation, Dayton,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 2, 1955, Serial No.485,796

4 Claims. ((11. 242-56) The present invention relates to recordingapparatus in which recorded indicia are placed upon a web of paper orthe like. More particularly, it relates to web feeding and handlingmechanism including means for feeding the web, whereby the web passesthrough a position for the entering of recorded indicia, means forreceiving the web after it passes the said position, and means forsevering the web and for presenting the severed end in a positiondisplaced from the path of travel of the Web for convenient removal ofthe severed portion thereof.

In Patent No. 2,591,124 granted April 1, 1952, to Edwin A. Boyan, one ofthe present inventors, as well as in his copending application, SerialNo. 296,200, filed June-28, 1952, now Patent No. 2,776,867 various formsof production analysis apparatus are described utilizing as a componentpart thereof a web of longitudinally perforated paper having a heatsensitized surface. Web feeding and handling mechanism is disclosed formoving the paper at a predetermined rate past a position in which anumber of heating elements are disposed in position to come in contactwith the web. The heating elements are provided with switch meanswhereby a selected one or a combination of visible marks can be madeselectively by depressing keys each corresponding to. certain entryinformation. The said apparatus is used for making a record both of theduration of each shut-v down of a machine and of the particular causetherefor.

The present invention relates to web feeding and ban dling mechanismsuitable for use in devices of the type described-above, but it will beunderstood that it is by no means limited to the specific application ofproduction analysis, or indeed to any specific form or method of entryof information data.

lttis a principal object of the present invention to provide means forreceiving the web after it has passed the-position in which the recordedindicia are entered, and means associated therewith for severing the webat any. desired longitudinal position, whereby the severed portion ofthe Web may be readily removed from the apparatus. Preferably, suchmeans includes provision for compactly holding and protecting theportion of the web containing the recorded data, and associated meansfor presenting an end of the severed portion in a position where it maybe readily grasped and withdrawn.

Another object is to provide means permitting rapid feeding of a freshroll of web material into the apparatus, and for feeding it to aposition where it may be engaged by the receiving means.

A still former object is to provide means for insuring the accurateseverance of the web at the desired longitudinal line without thenecessity for disengagement of the, web feeding means.

With the above andother objects in view, a feature of this inventionresides in the use of a novel web receiving, severing and presentingdevice whereby the severed portion of the web is carried forwardly to aposition displaced from the normal line of travel of the web, whereUnited rates Patent Ofifice 2,839,25fi Patented June 17, 1958 2 it maybe manually grasped and readily withdrawn from the receiving mechanism.

Another feature resides in the use of a web retaining device comprisingspring pressed bails supported in a hub Within a receptacle saidretaining device being driven by a gear frictionally coupled with theweb feeding mechanism.

According to another feature, the friction coupling means produces aperipheral speed of the bails in excess of the speed of the advancingweb, whereby the web is caused to be rolled up within the receptacle.

According to a further feature, ratchet wheel and pawl means areprovided for coupling the web retaining device and the web feedingmechanism, whereby it is also possible to turn the web retaining devicemanually in the direction to advance the web, and through-said ratchetwheel and pawl means manually to accelerate the web feeding mechanism.

A further feature includes the use of a brake band and drum cperativelyassociated with the Web severing mechanism, whereby the sprocket drivingmeans for the Web are temporarily slowed down or stopped while the webis being severed.

Other features of the invention reside in certain features ofconstruction, arrangements, and structures which will be more clearlyunderstood from the following description of a preferred embodiment andfrom the claims when taken with reference to the appended drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is a front elevation of theapparatus of the invention, showingthe web feeding and handling mechanism, the cover of the apparatus beingomitted.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation looking from the left-hand sideof Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away, looking from theright-hand side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line 44of Fig.

l, a portion of the cover being shown, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the friction drive mechanism Referring to thedrawings, the frame of the apparatus comprises two side plates 12 and 14secured together in parallel fashion by fiat metal straps 16 and a plate18' threaded to receive screws 2%}. A shaft 22 is rotatably supportedbetween the plates, and preferably provided at one end with .a knurledknob 24 secured thereto. A supply roll 25 of paper or the like havinglongitudinal edge perforations 23 along each side is supported upon theshaft 22.

The Web 3%. is formed by passing an end of the paper-- over a roundedend portion of the plate 18, along the outer surface of the plate,through sprocket driving means including a roll 32 sprocket teeth 34,and into a web receiving device comprising a cylindrical receptacle 36and an integral blade upon application of heat to a select portionthereof, the said portion becomes darker than the unheated adjacentportions, whereby a visible mark is produced. In accordance with thisparticular method, the plate 18 is preferably constructed of insulatingmaterial of a. 110111 combustible nature, through which a number ofpairs of holes 41 are drilled in a line transversely of the web,

A piece of resistance wire 41 shaped generally in the having a pair ofrings of 3 form of a U is inserted in each pair of holes with theportion connecting the stems upon the side facing the web, and the freeends extending beyond the back side of the plate' sufliciently to permitthe making of ap-.

propriate electrical connectionsto a source of voltage. Suitable meansare preferably provided for connecting the segments of resistance wireselectively to the voltage source in accordance with the information tobe entered upon the Web, the apparatus of my said copending appli thespring 46 being in turn secured at the other end to a fixed, outwardlyprojecting stud 43 in the side plate. A curved metal strip 50 faced witha suitable lining 52 such as felt is provided with integral outwardlyprojecting threaded stems 54 extending through holes in the strip 42.Between the plate 50 and strip 42 and surrounding each of the stems 54we provide a compression spring 56. Knurled nuts 58 are threaded on tothe stems 54, and provide means for adjusting the pressure of the plate50 upon'the web.

The foregoing arrangement provides a toggle action, in which the strip'42 is urged by the spring 46 either into the position shown in thedrawings, in which the studs 44 are brought'against the ends of theslots in the side plates, thereby determining in a positive manner theposition of the strip 42 in relation to the plate 18; or alternatively,the strip 42 is manually rotated 'until the spring 46 moves beyond anequilibrium position and the stud 44 is thereupon urged against theupper edge of the plate 12 where it is out of contact with the web. Thelatter position is utilized during the initial process of feeding afresh web into the apparatus.

Preferably, the plate 18is formed with raised ridge portions 60, therebyforming a channel within which the web is guided as it approaches thesprocket teeth.

To prevent the web from passing through the gap formed between the plate18 and the sprocket teeth 34, a pair of curved straps'62 are pivotallysupported upon a bar 64 supported between the side plates 12 and 14,with the curved portions of the straps being received in annularchannels inthe sprocket drum 32.

The drum 32 is supported betweenbearing'housings 66 respectively securedtothe plates 12 and 14. The housings preferably contain suitable ball orsleeve bearrngs to support a shaft 68 integral with the drum, with endsextending through holes in the plates 12 and 14 on either side. A curvedplate 70, serving both as a web retaining means and as an anvil againstwhich the webmay be severed, is screwed by screws 72 to the housings 66.Preferably, rectangular clamps 74 having an unstressed curvature greaterthan that of the housings 'are used to provide a resilient holdingaction for the plate. Slots 76 are provided in the plate 70 and thesprocket teeth pass'into the slots as the drum is rotated.

Thus, by means of the plate 70 the web is held firmly upon the sprocketteeth at all times.

The receptacle 36 comprises a cylindrical metallic shell having alongitudinal slot or opening to' receive the web urge the receptaclenormally to the position shown in the drawings, wherein the stud reachesthe end of the slot. A cylindricalextension 88 passing through arhole inthe plate 12 is integral with and supports the receptacle at one end.The extension has a handle 90, secured by means of a set screw 92. Bymeans of the handle, the receptacle may be turned against the urgingofthe tension spring 86, thereby bringing the blade 38 towards the web. Inthis manner, the serrations 80 are ultimately brought into closerelation with an edge of the anvil or retaining plate 70, and the web issevered as the serrations pass the edge of the plate. By reason of theillustrated curvature of the blade 38, previously mentioned, theserrations 80 in themiddle portion are the first to reach the edge ofthe anvil, and the cut thus progresses in both directions from thecenter, and continues as the blade is rotated until the web is entirelysevered.

It will be apparent, however, that any other appropriate 7 offsettingmeans between the serrations 80 and the anvil plate 70 may be used,whereby for example, the cutting action may proceed progressively fromleft to right or from right to left, rather than from the centeroutwardly The length of the in both directions at'the'same time. slot 84in the plate 12 determines the possible extent of movement of thereceptacle 36 when it is.rotated by the handle 90, this movement beingsufficient to complete the cutting action.

To facilitate removal of the severed portion of the web, the slot 84 isof such length that the blade 38 carries the severed end of the web toan advanced or presentation position displaced from the normal path oftravel of theweb. This displacing movement permits the severed end to bereadily grasped to permit wlthdrawal from the receptacle as hereinaftermore fully side p1ate'12, and passes over a drum 98 secured to the shaft68. A sleeve 100 is fitted over the cylindrical portionl88 of thereceptacle 36, and secured to the saidportion by suitable means such asa setscrew. A screw 102 is threaded into the sleeve 100 to providemeans; for I anchoring one end of a spring .104, the other end of whichis secured to the brake band 94. Thus, when the handle 90 is turned thespring 104 is stretched andthe band 94 pulled more tightly against thedrum 98. Depending upon the tension of the spring 104 and thecoeflicient of friction and contact area between the band 94 and drum98, the sprocket drum- 32 may be either completely stopped or sloweddown during the cutting operation. r

The sprocket drum 32 is rotated by means of agear 106 secured to theshaft 68. The gear 106 is coupled with a small idler gear 108, which isin turn coupled with a gear 110. The gear 110 is coupled with a pinion112 secured through a slippa'b'le coupling (not shown) .to the shaft ofa motor 114. The foregoing gears comprise a permanently connected chainbetween the motor 114 and the sprocket drum 32.: The motor 114 is pref-jerably of the type which includes a clutch that permits the pinion to beadvanced by external means in the 9 direction of rotation of the motorwhile the motor re mains connected. Slippable clutch means of this kindwithin the motor 114 are in common usev and are not further describedherein. V p

Within the receptacle 36 there is provided a web take- 118 are formedinthe following manner.

120 which is received in a cylindrical bore in the receptacle 36. At theright end there is provided another." short sleeve 122 which is receivedthrough a similar borein the closed right end of the receptacle 36, andthrough a hole in the plate. 14, wherebytheright end of the receptacleis supported by the sleeve 122. At the left end the receptacle issupported by the sleeve 100 received through a hole in the plate 12 asshown in the drawing.

As part of the web advancing and take-up mechanism, shaft 118 carries arelatively rotatable gear 124 and attached ratchet wheel 126. Gear 124is disposed adjacent bearing 122 and meshes with gear 110. To controlend play of receptacle 36, a non-metallic washer (not shown) is disposedbetween gear 124 and right side of plate 14, and a similar washerbetween the left side of plate 14 and the end of the receptacle 36.Because gear 124 and ratchet wheel 126 are rotatable relative to shaft118, gear 124 is not utilized during the normal power feeding of theapparatus.

The hub 116 has four pairs of transverse bores to receive four bails128, preferably having short sleeves of tubular rubber 130 or the likewhich press upon the web as it enters the receptacle. Each bail has neareach end an annular grove to receive a bifurcated end of a flat spring132 which is screwed in the middle portion to the hub by a screw 134.The spring is crimped symmetrically about the screw, whereby the bail isurged in the direction of withdrawal from the hub, but at the same timemeans are provided by the spring to prevent complete withdrawaltherefrom.

In the operation of the web take-up device, the sleeves 130 of the bailsare urged by the springs against the inner cylindrical walls of thereceptacle 36. The take-up device is rotated by turning the shaft 118.This may be done manually by means of a knurled knob 136 secured to theend of the shaft. Rotation may also be imparted to the shaft 113 througha gear 138, also secured to the shaft. For motor-driven feeding, thegear 138'is rotated by a gear 141 in mesh therewith, the gear 140 beingsupported coaxially with the gear 110, a friction driving connectionbeing employed to permit slippage in the driving connections for thetake-up device.

This friction connection is shown in detail view in Fig. 5 and comprisesa stud 142 secured in the side plate 14 and serving as a gearing forsleeve 143. Gear 110 is secured to the inner end of the sleeve, whilegear 140 is relatively rotatable. A disk 144 of friction material isdisposed between the gears, with a slotted spring washer 146 held inadjustable resilient engagement with the outer face of gear 140 byknurled nut 148. The nut 148 may be tightened against the washer toincrease the pressure of the gears against the friction disk, orloosened to decrease the pressure.

Thus, there is provided a second gear train including the gears 138 and149, whereby rotation of the gear train which drives the sprocket drumis imparted through friction means to rotate the Web take-up devicewithin the receptacle 36. Preferably, the nominal peripheral speed ofthe bails slightly exceeds that of the web as it is fed from thesprocket drum, with the friction drive slipping sufiiciently to preventtearing the web as the web is wound on the web-retaining means.

There is also provided a pawl 159, which is pivotally supported on thegear 138 so as to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 126. Thewheel and pawl device is arranged to produce positive engagement of theshaft 118 with the gear train driving the sprocket drum 32 when the knob136 is turned in clockwise direction to revolve the web-retaining devicein the normal feeding direction. Thus, if at any time it is desired tofeed the web more rapidly than the speed provided by the motor 114, theknob 135 may be manually turned to cause accelerated motion both of theweb-retaining means and of the sprocket drum. It will be noted in thisconnection that the gear ratio between the gears 110 and 124 on the onehand, and between the gears 138 and 140 on the other hand are equal sothat the speed ratio between the sprocket teeth and the bails is thesame whether the bails are driven at the normal speed through thefriction disk 144, or

at an accelerated speed through the ratchet wheel and pawl by amanual-rotation of the knob 136.

The operation of the device will be, briefly described. Assuming that anew roll 26 of the record-receiving web material has been placed uponthe shaft 22, the strip 42 is first swung back away from the rounded endportion of the plate 18, and the end of the web is fed over the plate 18and brought into contact with the sprocket drum 32. The knob 136 is thenmanually turned to rotate the sprocket drum, thereby feeding the webover the sprocket teeth and under the anvil plate 70, and ultimatelycausing the web to advance into the slot in the receptacle 36. There itis engaged by the bails and rolled up within the receptacle. Once themotor 114 is turned on, the device is ready for operation.

if at any time during the operation it is desired to sever a portion ofthe web which has passed the recording position, the knob 136 may berotated in web-advancing direction in the manner previously described tobring the last recorded portion of the web beyond the edge of the anvil70 adjacent the blade 38. It will be noted that by the means describedit is unnecessary to wait for the motor to move the last recordedportion beyond the edge of the anvil. Depending upon the speed of themotor 114 a considerable time may elapse before that portion of the webhas moved through the requisite length With. out manual intervention.

The handle is then pulled down, thereby causing severance of the web atthe desired line, and causing the severed end to be presented at aforward position, opposite a suitable opening in the cover or case 164.Said opening, as well as the opening opposite the recording region, isnormally closed by a sheet of transparent material 168 which may he sliddownwardly to bring open regions into registry with the openings in thecover. The web may then be unwound from the receptacle 36 and dischargedoutwardly of the apparatus by turning the knob 136 in the directionopposite to that previously described, whereby the rotation of the bailsis reversed until the severed portion of the web has been withdrawncompletely. During the severing action, the sprocket drum 32 istemporarily restrained by the action of the friction band 94 aspreviously described.

Once the handle 90 is returned to its normal position, no further stepsare required to resume recording.

It is thus seen that a compact, convenient and dependable device hasbeen provided for feeding a web of material in a recording apparatus,for receiving the material after it has left the recording position, forsevering the web at any desired position, and for presenting the severedend in a position to facilitate removal. By these means the web ispositively and accurately driven with little danger that it will be tornwhile being driven, while being severed, or while being withdrawn fromthe receptacle 36. The device is provided with means for manual as wellas automatic feeding to permit rapid forward feeding and immediateremoval of any portion of the web upon which recorded data has beenentered.

It Will be understood that while the invention has been described withreference to a specific embodiment thereof, it is by no means limited tosaid embodiment, and includes such modifications of structure,arrangement, and form as will occur to those skilled in this art inutilizing the teachings of this invention for specific applications.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. In a web feeding device for recording apparatus, means for feeding aweb alon a predetermined path, a combination severing and web presentingdevice comprising a fixed anvil having an edge adjacent and laterallydisposed in relation to the web in the path of feeding and near the lineof severance, and a rotatable receptacle having a hollow cylindricalcavity with an opening in position to receive the web, and a bladehaving a serrated edge mounted integrally with the receptacle on oneedge of the opening, the blade being so disposed that upon I rotation ofthe receptacle the blade carries the web to the anvil, severs it alongtheedge of the anvil and carries the'severed end of the portion withinthe receptacle to a position displaced from the path of feeding.

2. In a web feeding device for recording apparatus,

a the combination of means for feeding the web along a fixed path, afixed anvil having an edge adjacent and late'rally disposed in relationto the web near the line of severance, a'rotatable receptacle having ahollow cylindrical cavity with an opening in position to receive the weband a blade having a serrated edge mounted integrally with thereceptacle on one edge of the opening, the bladebeing so disposed thatupon rotation of the recep- 1 tacle the blade carries the web to theanvil, severs it along a longitudinally perforated web, the combinationof sprocket means for feeding the Web along ;a fixed path, a brake drumsecured to the sprocket means, a fixed anvil having an edge adjacent andlaterally disposed1inre1a-, tion to the web in the path of feeding andnear a line where the web is to be severed, a member having a blade witha serrated edge mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, the blade beingso disposed as to carry the web to' the anvil and to tear it along theedge Of'fllfi anvil, a brake band having one fixed end and a segmentpassing over the drum, and a spring connecting the. other'end of theband with said member, whereby upon rotation the member to sever the webthe spring is stretched to force the band :more firmly against the drum.

' 4. In a web feeding device for recording apparatus, a housing, meansfor advancing a web along a predetermined path within the housing, anopening in the housing adjacent the path of web advance, a combinationsever ing and web presenting device comprising a fixed anvilj having anedge adjacent and laterally disposed. in rela-fl tion to the web in thepath of feeding and near the line' of severance, and a rotatablereceptacle having a hollow cylindrical cavity with a peripheral gapthrough which the web enters the receptacle/said cylindrical receptacle?v having a blade adjacent the gap,and'means for rotating the receptacleto carry the bladeinto shearing relation with the anvil to sever'the'web, the anvil being disposed f in proximity to the opening in thehousing so that when the receptacle is rocked to sever the Wb,:the bladecauses the severed end to project through :the *opening in the housing.7

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENrsSwenson Dec. 27, 1949,;

